1/02/2018

2017 MAKEUP | SKINCARE | HAIR FAVORITES

2017 has come to a close and this year I've discovered some amazing products that have been on constant rotation.

First up, let's talk about makeup. Early this year I had the chance to go to the states and managed to check out Ulta to finally pick up the IT Cosmetics CC Cream. I finished up that tube and I'm onto my second tube. The hype is well deserved and it's a great cc cream but has the finish of a foundation. It medium coverage and lasts throughout the work day. This is my daytime foundation as it allows me to skip the SPF step. Thankfully, this is now available in Sephora Canada!To add some glow to the skin, my new favourite is the YSL Touche Eclat Glow Shot Liquid Highlighter. This was a late discovery in the year as I picked it up for my trip in September. I love how compact this highlighter is for travelling. I tend to use this during the daytime as it provides a glow that isn't overly dramatic. The Becca Bronzer is an everyday product for me which has surprised me. I'm very pale and bronzer usually does not work on me. I love that Becca has come out with an wide selection of bronzer shades that suit even my pale skin (I use shade Bali Sands). This bronzer provides my skin with a subtle amount of glow and colour. Too Faced Baby Love blush continues to be a favourite in 2017. This is the only blush I've ever hit pan on and will probably be the only blush I finish (2018 goal). This is my go to blush when I don't know what to wear but want a defined blush. It works for both day and night and is on regular rotation in my makeup routine.

Another new discovery for me was the brand Lilah B. I first heard about this brand when ttsandra featured them in a video. She had good things to say about their quads and I'm ever willing to try anything she recommends. I picked up the Eye Quad in shade nude, even though it had a pretty hefty price tag. I don't wear eyeshadow regularly but when I do I usually opt for this quad. It's super easy to use and I tend to use the light brown and shimmery brown for an easy eye look. If I'm not using the Lilah B. quad, I'm using Burberry's shadow in Pale Barley. I use this all over the lid and blended into the crease. One shadow and I'm done. Super easy and quick makeup has been the theme for 2017. For my brows the only two products I use are the Hourglass Brow Pencil and the Glossier Boy Brow. These two products make my brows defined but not overly done. I love that the Hourglass pencil has a thicker tip that lets me do my brows quickly in the mornings. The main reason I love the Glossier Boy Brow is that it keeps them in place throughout the day without them feeling crunchy. I didn't have a lipstick favourite for 2017 as my go-to lipsticks change on a monthly basis. I like to switch things out of my purse every month or so to try to use up my lipstick collection. One lip product that has remained a favourite for 2017 (actually I've been using this for over 10 years consistently) is the Nivea lip balm. I only use the clear version and this is the only thing that keeps my lips moisturized. I've definitely become addicted to it and no other lip balm I've tried compares. I'll continue using this for another 10 years at least. A new fragrance discovery for me in 2017 was Black Tulip by NEST. I tried this on a whim in Sephora and fell in love. I've been using a rollerball for now but when that finishes I'll switch to a full size bottle. LOVE this.

Now lets talk about the skincare favourites. One of my skin saviours this year has been the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. I use this on my face and my hands during fall/winter. This is the only cream that works during the winter for my hands. Even though I use this on my hands, it's light enough to use on my face morning and night. I've gone through numerous tubs of this and even picked up the Black Friday special size of 12oz. that I'll be cracking into once my current tub is done. Another cult product for me is the Philosophy Purity Cleanser. I've lost count of how many bottles of this cleanser I've gone through. I use this in the shower as my first cleanser to get rid of all my makeup. I use this to remove my eye makeup as well without any irritation. Previously I would use this as my first and second cleanser at night but now mainly use this as my first cleanser only. I'm experimenting with other cleansers at the moment so I tend to use those as my second cleanse once all my makeup has been removed. Final skincare favourite is The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil. I just finished my previous bottle of this and started a second. I love this as a spot treatment. I don't get many pimples but this is the only product I use once I get them during the time of the month. Let's talk about hair now. I don't use styling products as I'm super lazy with my hair. On a daily basis I will use the Bumble and Bumble Invisible Hairdresser's Oil on my ends. It's a great oil that leaves my hair feeling soft without weighing it down. My last 2017 favourite was discovered in the spring. My hair gets super oily if I don't wash it so I always need to use a dry shampoo if I skip a hair wash. Finding one that doesn't leave a residue is also hard with dark hair. I heard about the Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo for Dark Tones and picked up a bottle to try it out. I loveee this dry shampoo. It gets rid of any oil and keeps my hair looking fresh throughout the entire day. It also smells AMAZING. I only use this on second day hair as I can't go three days without washing my hair. There you have it. The products that have been on constant rotation in 2017. What are some of your favourite products?